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MAMA's Corner: The 'V' in Vintage is for 'versatility'

Looking for a highly versatile cover band that can play a variety of genres, including classic pop hits from the 1950s through the 1980s, country through 1990s, Southern/classic rock, blues, and “lounge” hits?

Looking for a highly versatile cover band that can play a variety of genres, including classic pop hits from the 1950s through the 1980s, country through 1990s, Southern/classic rock, blues, and “lounge” hits?

Look no further than Vintage and alicia (single name, lower case “a”).

Vintage is based in Salem, Ala., and band owner and vocalist alicia is originally from Montgomery.

In the mid-1980s, alicia began singing gospel. She toured the Southeast with Nostalgia (Montgomery) from the late 1980s through early 1990, and later worked with various pop and country bands for a short time. In 1991, she began performing as a solo act with Holiday Inn until late 2007. On June 21, 2016, she organized Vintage, an “oldies” band based in Salem.

"Plans are underway to add a secondary band called TG&B that will perform classic country music only," alicia said. "We also can provide a trio for smaller venues, and we call it TBL42."

So how did alicia get started in music? It began with housework.

"My mother made me dry dishes, which I hated!" said alicia. "To keep me from grumbling, she had me learn songs that she would sing, and she had the most wonderful voice imaginable…so that she could then sow me what that song would sound like when she added the alto part. At that time, I had no interest whatsoever in learning 'her' songs, UNTIL I heard her sing! I was hooked! She bought my first stage piano, a Roland keyboard, for $800 which was a pretty sizable amount of money back in the day! My brother, Randy Summers, played guitar and she encouraged us to put a band together….TG Gann & Company…. T-G-G-A-N-N, acronym for 'the group’s got a name now' because we really could never come up with a band name. When anyone asked, 'Who is TG?' the answer would be simply, 'The Girl!' TG Gann & Company was short-lived due to the distance each member had to drive. However, during that time my brother and I enjoyed playing with Montgomery pickers such as Don Lynch, Jimmy Gilbert, Glenn Lucas (I think that was his name!) and several others whose names I don’t remember.

So who were alicia's influences? "I particularly enjoyed the music of the early 1960s. ALL of it! However, my favorites were Roy Orbison, Gene Pitney, the 'girl groups' such as The Shirelles and The Marvelettes, Patsy Cline, Skeeter Davis, Sue Thompson, Brenda Lee, and Connie Frances, just to name a few. I was never an Elvis fan and I stopped liking Beatles music when it changed in the mid-1960s. I loved Floyd Cramer, and Montgomery native, the late Mike Pritchett, sparked my interest in learning to play the piano. E.G. Kight commanded the stage at the Holiday Inn in the 1980s, and I would go to hear her when she was in town. A few times she talked me into getting up and singing, and I was petrified. Later 'her' stage became my stage at that Holiday Inn, and I felt beyond honored! E.G. is now a world-renowned blues artist and a dear friend as well as an inspiration! But I really just always loved music."

While she said all gigs are memorable, alicia said the best time she's had in music was the 18-year solo house gig at Holiday Inn.

"I also opened with Jeff Golden for Ronnie Milsap and later for Doug Stone while with Steve Stowe & the Stowaways in 1991," alicia said. "Those were fun gigs!"

What is important to alicia as an artist and performer?

"To get it right," she said. "To make people sigh and say, 'Oh, my goodness! That takes me back. You sound just like the record.' To entertain, which is much more than just playing music!"

What inspires alicia? "When it all comes together, and when the harmony gives me chills!"

So how did she become involved with the Montgomery Area Musicians Association?

"In 2013, during conversations with Alesia Gilliland and a few others, the idea of organizing area musicians to bring awareness to our community of the vast array of talented local musicians became real," said alicia. "Although I moved away for a short time during the infancy of MAMA, I have always felt that I played some small part in making it happen. MAMA is a wonderful organization, and it has come so much further than we ever imagined it could!"

What can people expect from alicia's shows with Vintage? "Good music, smiles, energy, pride in how we dress for a show, something different than anyone else is doing, and always entertainment!"

Final thoughts on Vintage: "We can provide anything from a trio to an enormous Vintage band sound due to the number of our available musicians and their versatility," said alicia. "We work long and hard, both in rehearsal and on our own time, to be as close to perfect as possible. We are responsible, dedicated, sober, and decent people. Nothing is so good that it can’t stand improvement, and we continuously strive to be better. We believe in kindness and humility. And music can, when it’s good, can ease almost any pain!"

Contact and Booking info:

Alicia Summers McLeod on Facebook and Facebook Messenger

Vintage - https://www.facebook.com/VintageOldies/

Phone/text: 334-740-1991

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MAMA - Montgomery Area Musicians Association(Photo: Contributed)

If you would like to support this non-profit organization by donating with a membership, please go to www.montgomerymusicians.org. All funds go directly toward helping local musicians, businesses who support music, and children of our community who attend MAMA’s free music education workshops. Membership for the year is only $10 for students, $20 for individuals, $30 for family, and $50 for business/venues.